Academic Community Learning Outcomes

Integrative Learning

Instructors will…promote authentic learning that enables students to connect and transfer learning within and beyond their linked courses. By designing real-world tasks (i.e., problems or questions of importance) that are analogous to the kinds of problems faced by citizens and consumers or professionals in the field, integrative learning will occur. Instructors will introduce meaningful applications of essential knowledge and skills by creatively and effectively connecting past and current information to complete a task, approach a problem, and/or gain full understanding of a concept or situation. Instructors will also provide students with learning opportunities that help students focus on their academic, professional and personal aspirations and growth.

Students will…be able to transfer knowledge and skills they have gained in class to new situations within and beyond their academic courses. They will identify ways in which their courses connect and disconnect to past, current and future learning environments, and reflect on their class experiences particularly in relation to their academic, professional and personal goals.

Teamwork

Instructors will…foster a team climate by designing and providing collaborative opportunities for students inside and/or outside of class. They will encourage positive team dynamics by modeling respect of all students and teaching partners in the class culture as well as actively engage in small or large group class activities/discussions. Instructors will also collaborate regularly as a team with their teaching partner(s) to contribute to the success of their collective linked courses.

Students will…demonstrate knowledge and gain teamwork skills by actively participating in the linked classes of UNM’s academic communities. This includes engaging in respectful team communication and making individual contributions to small and large group assignments/class exercises. As a central component of the learning communities, students will also be able to observe and experience the coordination, partnership and teamwork of their linked teachers.

Critical Thinking

Instructors will…design their courses to promote higher ordered thinking in students. By creating assignments, readings, in-class discussions, and assessments, instructors will help students synthesize information by evaluating, making sound decisions, questioning, taking a position, and/or making logical conclusions in their class work. Instructors will also provide opportunities for students to comprehensively understand and interpret evidence in an informed manner.

Students will…demonstrate the ability to articulately communicate in an oral and written manner, display adequate use of scientific evidence to support their arguments/academic work, and recognize assumptions that enable their belief systems. Students will examine complexities and perspectives of an issue to establish their own logical viewpoints and belief systems.